Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-09-30
LlNcoLNs SPEECH AT GETTYSBURG
Private Notes and Memoranda - The
Speech Not Received with Favor.

A day or two before the dedication Of
the National cemetery al Gettysburg, Mr.
Lincoln told me that he would be eX-
pcctcd TO make speech OF the occasion;
that he was extremely busy, with no time
for preparation and that he greatly feared
he would not bo able TO acquit himself
with credit, much less to fiji the measure
Of public expectation. From his hat (the
usual receptacle of his private notes and
memoranda) he drew page Of foolscap,
closely written which he read me, first
remarking that ii was memorandum OF
what he lad intended 10 say. 1t proved
to be in substance, and l think hRc verba,
what was printed rs his Gettysburg
speech.
After its delivery he expressed deep re-
greet that he had not prepared il with
greater care. He said 10 me on the stand,
Immediately after concluding the speech,
"Lamon, that speech won't scour 1t is
a flat failure, and the people are dsap-
pointed" He seemed more than ordi-
narily concerned about what the people
would think of it, Twas deeply impressed
by his frank and regretful condemnation
of the effort, and especially by his manner
Of expressing that regret; and my own
| impression was deepened by the fact that
the orator Of the day, Mr.. Everett, and
Mr.. Seward both conceded with Mr. Lin
coin in his unfavorable view of its merits
On the platform from which Mr. Lin
coin had made his address, and only a mo-
ment after its conclusion, Mr. Seward
turned TO Mr. Everett and asked him
what he thought Of the presidents speech
Mr.. Everett replied: 1T was not what |
expected from him. | am disappointed"
In his turn Mr.. Everett asked: 'What
do you think of il, Mr.. SewardYn The
response was ''IIe has made failure,
| and am sorry for it. His speech is not
equal TO him" Mr.. Seward then turned
TO me and asked "Mr Marshal, what do
you think Of itf' | answered: IL am
sorry 20 say that it does not impress me
as one Of his great speeches"
In the face OF these facts IL has been
repeatedly published that this speech was
received with great eclat by the audience
! that "amid the tears, sObs and cheers il
produced in the excited throng, the orator
Of the day, Mr. Everett, turned impul-
| siyely 10 Mr.. Lincoln, grasped his hand
and eXclaimcd j congratulate YOU on
| your success adding in n transport OF
! heated enthusiasm; 'Ah! Mr.. President,
| how gladly would | give my hundred
! pages TO be the author Of your twenty
/ lines.
All this unworthy gush, it is needless
/ 20 say, is purely apocryphal. Nothing OF
| the kind occurred. As a matter Of fact,
| Mr.. Lincoln's great Gettysburg speech
! fell on the vast audience like wet
! blanket At TINT time his reputation was
| confessedly on the wane. The politicians
| Of the country--those Of his own party,
| together with large part Of the press
were casting about for an available candi-
! date 10 be his successor, while a great
majority Of the people were for him.
state il as n fact. and without fear of con-
! tradiction, that this famous Gettysburg
! speech was not received or commented
upon with anything like hearty favor
! by the people, the politicians or the press
Of the United States until after the
! death OF Its author. It's marvellous per-
| lection, its intrinsic excellence as n master
| piece OF English composition, seem to have
escaped the scrutiny Of the most scholarly
critics and the wisest heads OF the day, on
this side Of the Atlantic That discovery
was made, we must regretfully own, by
| distinguished writers on the other side
The London Spectator, The Saturday Re
view, The Edinburgh Review and other
European journals were the first to dis
cover, or at least 20 proclaim, the classical
/ merits Of the Gettysburg speech. II was
then that we began to realize that 1t was
indeed masterpiece, and it then dawned
/ upon many minds that we had entertained
IN angel unawarcs who had left us unap
preciated.-Ward II. Lannon's Letter.